Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife officials are trying to save the winter steelhead and spring salmon from extinction by eliminating one of the threats to its population: the California sea lion. They are asking Congress and NOAA fisheries for emergency permission to trap and kill some of the mammals. Do you believe this hard choice is necessary to save a species?

I believe there has to be other alternatives to killing off one species to save another. Work harder at it. Find a better solution.

— Kris Adams, Keizer

I don't believe that destroying the sea lion is the correct response. Mankind has a bad history of trying to change Mother nature. I believe that trying to figure out what is causing them to feed this way might be a better solution. Are we going to kill them each year and scratch our heads in wondering what happened to the sea lions?

— Matthew Laughlin, Salem

Ordinarily, I am not for killing animals. But in this instance I believe the steelhead salmon, are a more important species for Oregon than the California sea lions. In this case, I support the Oregon Fish and Wildlife's plan as described.

— Larry R. George, Salem

It's a tough choice. There are so many other reasons humans have caused steelhead depletion. But the population is bordering on extinction, so I think the sea lions lose in this crisis. We also need to rapidly deal with habitat and dam obstruction of the runs.

— Paul Krissel, Salem

To say that the sea lion is the reason for the problem is just plain wrong. A lie, or ignorance. If the government does this, then the next ecosystem problem will get the same treatment, but a different animal. Why not kill them all and not have an ecosystem? It's what we are heading towards anyway, just get it over with.

Climate change is affecting all species. Killing of any species never solves problems. Never. We all need to address the toxic load of all kinds of pollutants in our environment that are killing not only fish and other wildlife but us. We are not in harmony with nature. If we were there would be no problems.

— Ann Watters RPE,BCPP, Salem

I presume that the ODFW are accredited in their profession. This assures me that they apply science to their deliberations on this request. I believe in science and the scientific method. I am not trained nor knowledgeable in wildlife preservation. Therefore, I do trust their recommendations. This is another reason we fund government; to have experts manage the difficult issues.

— Lew Hundley, Salem

Humans created this problem, with actions such as engineering the conditions that herd the salmon into one narrow spot, and humans can solve it. Despite being a liberal, I'm in favor of the death penalty in certain circumstances. But not for innocent sea lions.

— David Haber, Salem

No, killing one species to protect another is not the answer. Murdering sea lions because they eat fish is a shameful solution. I am ashamed of ODFW for their willingness to kill Oregon's native animals such as beavers, cougars, wolves, and bears to placate the fishermen, hunters, cattlemen, and tree farmers.

— Patt Wilson, Keizer

Both California and Stellar sea lions have multiplied beyond comprehension from San Francisco to Vancouver BC and up the Columbia River System. Common sense controls over their numbers are overdue. Endangered steelhead and salmon runs willl disappear otherwise, and every harbor's marina floats will increasingly be submerged under the weight of dozens of these exceedingly well-fed marine mammals.

— Ken Simila, Salem

Any thinking person should know that anything done to ensure the continuation of salmon runs of any species is more important to the future than a few sea lions. Sea lions will continue to decimate all salmon runs unless they are stopped from doing so. To remove some of them is necessary if we are to continue to have wild salmon. Now is the time to act.

— Jim Jaqua, Keizer

I agree that euthanizing the sea lions is necessary to saving the steelhead from extinction in the Willamette.

— Dr. Karen Franke, Turner

A simplistic question to a very complex issue. Even the experts feel that sea lions are just a small part of the salmon survival story. A Humane Society spokeswoman said recently that “habitat destruction, hatcheries, harvest and hydropower, have all had a greater impact” on salmon than sea lions. Without addressing these areas, just removing sea lions will not prevent eventual extinction.

— Woody Tiernan, Dallas

Killing 40 is going to solve the problem? People kill animals for meat, clothing and medicine. Nobody says anything. Seals, coyotes, lions, tigers, "animals", (including fish), all "kill to survive". It is a fact of life and nature. You will not stop it.

— Kent Wilson, Salem

Yes.

— Roger Vasend, Salem

As with dinosaurs and others, species still go extinct today. So it may be with salmon. Killing sea lions is not the answer. They are only doing what they are meant to do. Salmon may go extinct, but killing off sea lions who are eating them because they are hungry solves nothing. Let nature take its God ordained course.

— Cheryl Eby, Salem

Yes. Human activities have altered the water flow over the falls and trapped the salmon or slowed their upstream travel. They deserve a chance to avoid the sea lions that are overpopulated due to the easy prey.

— Wally Gutzler, Woodburn

As a Sanctuary State ignoring Federal Law, why do we have to ask Congress for permission for anything? Let Oregon Fish and Wildlife determine what needs to be done.They are here, not 3,000 miles away, reality-based not politically-driven and can take swift appropriate action. Another solution, used for chicken killing predators, is "shoot, shovel, and shut up".

— G. Mick McLean, Lincoln City

Want to have your say?

Interested in joining our crew of Rapid Responders? Email Opinions Editor Carol McAlice Currie at ccurrie@statesmanjournal.com with your full legal name, address, telephone number and email address. All applications are vetted for authenticity. Each Thursday afternoon we submit a question to the members of the Rapid Response team. They have until noon Friday to submit a response. All responses are published Saturday afternoon at StatesmanJournal.com; some are printed in the Sunday newspaper